David — It’s heartbreaking. I’m no real estate expert, but I did foreshadow this in 2020 with José Andrés and more than a dozen of my colleagues in hospitality in an op-ed, “Dear Landlords.” I wish I had been wrong; along with my family’s restaurant, Thamee, many of those who signed also shuttered their establishments, and the ripple effect continues 5 years later. I wish the pandemic taught us (diners, landlords, and restaurateurs) just how much we are in this together and rely on each other equally, not just from top down, but in every imaginable way. You can read it here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/15/dear-landlords-without-your-help-dcs-restaurants-bars-will-close-forever/

It applies equally to Mexico, and to this moment, as it did there and then. Until we can collaborate more than we compete, we’ll keep seeing beloved restaurants close. The best we can do as locals and patrons is to be loyal, and be intentionally regular customers at the places we love. 🙏🏽

5 reasons, at least ☺️
So glad you were inspired to return. I can only speak to the last four years since I moved here from the Nayarit region, and a lot has changed in restaurants! Two of my favorites closed, but Raíces is a reliable staple, and the family behind Fari (and Tostévere, Bocaciega, etc), as well as Café Quería, don’t strike me as passing fads. These are families with generations of food legacies and regional roots. I sincerely hope they, and many more like them, keep feeding us… and maybe you again soon!

Joe, you’re right that these sit on a highway, though it’s more the sleepy in-town start of one than a raging thoroughfare. All of them except NUDOL and Fari offer breakfast and lunch (so you can walk or take an 8 pesos bus in the daylight hours), and all except Raices have indoor seating options. 😉 Café Quería has a lovely back patio where the asador (grill) fills the air with the delicious smells of charred meats and veg, Lima has a cozy indoor area, and both NUDOL and Fari have indoor seating (I often request to sit indoors when reserving a table at Fari). Café Quería also has free parking right in front. The typical cab fare from Centro is 80-90 pesos, and so for a wonderful, lovely meal supporting our city’s best local chefs and teams, I think it’s worth coming this way (we live here, and it’s much quieter than Centro!). If folks can make the trek to nearby Mercado Sano, City Market, and La Comer, these five locally owned restaurants surely merit the trip, too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I hope you try them for yourself.

Thank you, Sarah! We are so lucky they exist. I hope you’ll go enjoy them all soon 🥰

Yes! Please do! In the four years I’ve been in San Miguel, two or more of my favorite restaurants have closed, so we’ve got to support our local gems! Thank you for reading 🙏🏽💕